Sunday, February 6, 2011

Can worship ignite the light?

This was the conclusion of Sunday's sermon outline:

How can our worship ignite the light?

A. The entrance rites (the part we miss dawdling in the parking lot or gabbing with the usher) call us out of the world and into the presence of God.

B. The lessons and sermon give us the Word to take in and carry out (both senses of "carry out").

C. The Creed calls us to the secret wisdom that gives spiritual power. There's little "practical application" stuff here - it is affirmation of the holy mysteries that the church proclaims.

D. The prayers invite us into works of compassion, goodness and power – putting our hearts and minds where God wants them.

E. The confession calls us to God's mercy and to peace with one another. The exchange of the peace is not intermission, it is an action to show the sincerity of confession and willingness to reconcile with others.

F. The offertory places our life and labor in the light at the altar, where Christ's great work for us is proclaimed, remembered and mystically received.

G. The Holy Communion makes us one body, mystically connected to God and one another and shining with the light of God that fills us by the life of Christ we share.

H. Saying thanks, receiving a blessing and being dismissed sends us out to let our light shine before others, so that they may see our good works and give glory to our Father in heaven.

2 comments:

Undergroundpewster said...

There's a sermon in each part of that outline.

Chip Johnson+, SF, CoJ said...

Great expostion, Tim+! Very similar to what I heard at LCMS and St. Anthony's RC in Hot Springs Sunday.

Chip+